Top 10 national parks in Canada

From rainforests to glaciers, sandy beaches to peaceful lakes, Canada has one of the oldest and most extensive parks systems in the world. Whether you're avid camper or a casual day-tripper, these 10 national parks are must-sees and worthy of repeat visits. By QMI Agency.

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1. Thousand Islands National Park, OntarioThe third smallest national park in Canada is only 24.4 sq km in size and stretches over 80 km of the upper St. Lawrence River with much of it being accessible by boat only. Not a paddler or boater? You can still take in spectacular views of the park and the unique river landscape by hiking the park's trails or by driving the Thousand Islands Parkway, which runs the full length of the park. (Courtesy 1000 Islands International Tourism Council)

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2. Fundy National Park, New BrunswickThe biggest attraction of the park is the Bay of Fundy, where many come to see the world's highest tides and to explore the ocean floor at low tide. The park features a golf course designed by renowned golf course architect Stanley Thompson, a heated saltwater swimming pool, and three campgrounds. Other points of interest include the park's many waterfalls and the Caribou Plain Trail, where boreal birds, frogs, and a beaver pond and dam can be spotted. The 2.1 km trail is primarily flat and considered an easy hike for those with small children, while a short loop boardwalk is fully accessible for those with mobility concerns. One added perk for those who hate sleeping in a tent is the park's yurt accommodations. It's one of a few national parks where yurt rentals are available from Parks Canada. (Courtesy Parks Canada)

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3. Gros Morne National Park, NewfoundlandThe park takes its name from Newfoundland's second-tallest mountain peak located within the park, which is French for "great sombre." Part of the Long Range Mountains, the park's mountainous rock dates back over a million years. Visitors can hike more than 100 km of trails through wild, uninhabited mountains and camp by the sea. Boat tours bring visitors under the cliffs of a freshwater fjord carved out by glaciers. (Shutterstock)

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4. Bruce Peninsula National Park, OntarioThe eroded eastern shoreline, particularly the giant stone "flowerpot"¯ column, is the biggest draw for visitors to the 'Bruce.' On its west side, the park straddles the Niagara Escarpment and slips into bogs, beaches, and Lake Huron. Birders will appreciate the more than 300 species of birds that migrate through this peninsula. Two of the park's natural wonders are the stunted 1,000-year-old cedar trees that cling to the cliffs along Georgian Bay and the "Grotto" - a big cave carved out by waves - on the shore between the Marr Lake and Georgian Bay Trails. (Shutterstock)

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5. Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova ScotiaOften referred to as the place "where the mountains meet the sea," hikers visit this park to admire the steep cliffs and deep river canyons that carve into a forested plateau bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the province's population of endangered Canada lynx lives here, as well as moose, hare, grouse, and marten. Depending on your tastes, most hikers visit from May to November, while some plan their visit in the fall for spectacular views of fall foliage and the popular Hike the Highlands festival in September. If hiking isn't your thing, another way to explore the park is to cycle and or drive the Cabot Trail. One third of the world-famous scenic highway runs through the park. (Fotolia)

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6. Prince Edward Island National Park, Prince Edward IslandSituated along the island's north shore, fronting the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the park features beaches, giant shifting sand dunes, both freshwater wetlands and salt marshes. The park includes Green Gables, home of Lucy Maud Montgomery's classic novel Anne of Green Gables, making it one of the busiest parks in Canada. The park is also home to a variety of plants and animals, including the threatened Gulf of St. Lawrence aster and the endangered piping plover. The park has been rising in popularity for campers recently, with many drawn to its close proximity to beaches and trails. The park even beat Banff as Canada's best national park for camping in About.com's people's choice awards. (Shutterstock)

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7. Nahanni National Park Reserve, Northwest TerritoriesBasically a paddler's paradise, Nahanni National Park has some of the deepest river canyons in the world. Not for the faint at heart, its Virginia Falls are twice the height of those in Niagara. Experienced paddlers can plan whitewater canoeing, kayaking and rafting trips around the South Nahanni River, but Parks Canada recommends going with a registered, licensed outfitter. Flight-seeing day trips are available by air charter to Virginia Falls, where visitors can enjoy a picnic and a short walk to the viewpoint, or a longer 2-hour trail that descends to the base of the falls. (Parks Canada photo)

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8. Auyuittuq National Park, NunavutExperienced adventurers looking for an off-the-beaten-path experience will love exploring Canada's only national park north of the Arctic Circle. Named after the Inuktitut word meaning "land that never melts," the park covers 19,089 sq km of wildlife that is mostly untouched by humans, where wildflowers, seals, polar bears, narwhals, beluga whales, arctic hares and ermines thrive. Located on southern Baffin Island, the park includes the highest peaks of the Canadian Shield, the Penny Ice Cap, marine shorelines along coastal fjords, and Akshayuk Pass, a traditional travel corridor used by the Inuit for thousands of years. To access the park, visitors can either travel by boat or snowmobile from Pangnirtung or Qikiqtarjuaq, and must register and undergo a safety orientation with Parks Canada before entering the park. Be sure to pack waterproof clothing as June to September are the wettest months. (Fotolia)

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9. Banff National Park, AlbertaCanada's first national park is world famous for its pristine jaw-dropping views of jagged snow-capped mountains, turquoise lakes and dense coniferous forests. The park's vast unspoiled wilderness and mountain lakes like Lake Louise attract hikers, bikers, campers and canoeists from across Canada. Love nature, but can't stand the thought of sleeping outdoors? The park is home to six world class resorts that offer anything from a day of pampering at the hot springs to a round of golf in the heart of the Rockies. (Shutterstock)

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10. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, British ColumbiaStretching over 50 km of Vancouver Island's western shoreline, the park's rugged coast and temperate old-growth rainforests is an ecological paradise that has something for everyone. The park is made up of three separate regions; Long Beach, one of Canada's best surf spots; the Broken Group Islands, which features over 100 islets that dot the Barkley Sound; and the West Coast Trail, which gets its name from the 75-km hiking trail that winds through the park's old-growth rainforest. (Shutterstock)